Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback declared a state of emergency late Tuesday after an apparent tornado struck Harveyville, part of a powerful storm system that pounded the state's midsection.

At least 9 are injured after a small Kansas town was hit by a tornado Tuesday night, Fox affiliate KTMJ reports. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback declared a state of emergency after the tornado struck Harveyville, Kansas, a town of about 240 people. The storm was part of a powerful storm system that pounded the state's midsection.

The declaration covers Wabaunsee County, southwest of Topeka. A news release from the governor's office said one person was critically injured and "a number of homes" and a church were damaged, and trees and power lines were down. The sheriff of Wabaunsee County told KTMJ the town was 40-60 percent destroyed. One person was reportedly airlifted to the hospital and at least 8 others were injured.

Earlier, the National Weather Service reported brief tornado touchdowns southwest of Hutchinson. Elsewhere in central Kansas, trained spotters and law enforcement reported hail the size of golf balls and winds estimated at 70 mph Tuesday night north of Hillsboro in Marion County. - FOX News.

UPDATE: 13 Killed As Tornadoes Rake Midwest States!

At least 13 people were killed overnight as a line of tornadoes marched across the Midwest, flattening parts of several towns, officials said Wednesday. Hardest hit was Harrisburg, Ill., where 10 deaths were reported, along with nearly 100 injuries and at least 200 homes destroyed or damaged.Forecasters warned more twisters could strike the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians through Wednesday evening as the storm system moved east. Ten of the deaths occurred in Harrisburg, the local coroner told state officials. What is thought to have been a tornado swept through the town around 5 a.m. local time, destroying 35-40 homes, according

Three other deaths were reported in Missouri, where storms included a suspected tornado that hit a mobile home park outside the town of Buffalo. One person died in the mobile home park and around a dozen people were injured. Two others died in the Cassville and Puxico areas of Missouri.On Tuesday night, at least 8 people were injured when a suspected tornado ripped through Harveyville, Kan. At least three of the injured are in critical condition, according to weather.com, and 40 percent of the town suffered damage.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback issued a disaster declaration for the area, parts of which were without power. Other hard-hit areas included Branson, the tourist hub, and Lebanon in Missouri. In Branson, 32 people were treated at one hospital for injuries, mostly cuts and bruises. An apparent tornado moved through downtown Branson, heavily damaging the city's famous theaters and hopscotching up Highway 76, uprooting road signs and scattering debris. The injuries could have been far worse had the storm hit next week, when the tourist season begins. "If it was a week later, it'd be a different story," said Bill Tirone, assistant general manager for the 530-room Hilton and adjacent Branson Convention Center, where windows were shattered and some rooms had furniture sucked away by high winds. Hotel workers were able to get all guests to safety as the storm raged. - KCENTV.

A "crack" in Earth's magnetic field has opened the way for yet
another thrilling display of the northern lights near the top of the
world.

The AuroraMAX wide-angle camera snapped this picture of the northern
lights over Yellowknife
in Canada's Northwest Territories early Feb. 27.
For more from AuroraMAX, check out theproject's website and Twitpic gallery.

We're in the middle of an upswing in the sun's 11-year
activity cycle, leading up to an expected peak in 2013. If solar storms
get too intense, there could be a heightened risk of outages in
satellite communication and electrical grids. But fortunately, the only
significant effects from the solar outbursts so far have come in the
form of heightened auroras, occasionally ranging as far south as Nebraska. Auroras arise due to the interaction of Earth's magnetosphere with
electrically charged particles streaming from the sun. That interaction
energizes atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen in the ionosphere, causing
ripples of greenish and reddish light between 60 and 200 miles up in
Earth's polar regions.

Here are a few other photos from this week's auroral displays, plus two video extras. One is "Temporal Distortion,"
a time-lapse tribute to the aurora and other wonders of the night sky
by Dakotalapse photographer Randy Halverson. It includes some of the
auroral imagery we featured back in October,
and features original music by Bear McCreary, the award-winning
composer for TV shows such as "Walking Dead" and "Battlestar Galactica." The other is David Peterson's compilation of time-lapse videos
captured by astronauts on the International Space Station, including
some primo views of the aurora from above. Here's what NASA's Mike
Fossum, a former space station resident, had to say about the clip: "This is the best video I've seen from photos we took on ISS! Stunning!!" Can't argue with that... - Cosmic Log/MSNBC.

A massive area of tropical cloud is stretching right down into parts of New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria with thunderstorms also lined up across the system. This cloud band is generating massive rainfall totals with numerous severe weather warnings also triggered for the region. Flooding is a concern for the region.

Heavy rain that flooded parts of Victoria and South Australia during the past few days is now spreading into southern NSW, prompting numerous flood watches. During the past 24 hours, central and northern parts of Victoria were drenched with 50 to 100mm of rain, leading to flash flooding, Weatherzone meteorologist Josh Fisher says. The largest totals fell on and north of the Great Dividing Range, where some areas even gained more than 100mm. Yarrawonga was flooded with 120mm of rain during 24 hours yesterday, which was its heaviest daily total in more than a decade. Castlemaine gained 98mm of rain in the same period, which was its heaviest since the floods of last February, when 101mm fell in 24 hours. The trigger for the heavy rain and storm activity is a slow-moving low pressure trough, which is funnelling massive amounts of moisture across the country. This moisture is being drawn off the very warm waters that are surrounding the nation. The trough is slowly pushing further north, which has allowed rain to temporarily ease over Victoria. The severe weather warning for flash flooding has been cancelled for the state, but residents are urged to take caution near floodwaters and swollen rivers. New South Wales will now bear the brunt of the rain as the trough stalls over the state. Prolonged heavy rain will affect southern, central and western parts of the state from today through to the weekend. As a result, a severe weather warning for flash flooding is in place for people in the upper western, ACT, Riverina, lower western, central west slopes & plains, south west slopes, Snowy Mountains and southern tablelands. For these districts, daily rainfall totals are likely to range between 50 and 100mm with some areas expected to receive more than 200mm before this rain event tapers off early next week. - The Land.

Evacuations are underway in one town and emergency crews are standing by in three others as large parts of New South Wales continue to be deluged with the heaviest rains in more than 80 years.

Seventy residents have been forced from homes on 19 properties at Cowra in the state's central west, with rising flood waters threatening to leave them stranded, the State Emergency Service says. Evacuation warnings are current for Cooma in the Snowy Mountains, with up to 300 people at risk, and parts of the southern tablelands township of Goulburn, where the Wollondilly Creek is threatening to burst its banks. Orders are also in place at Captains Flat south of Queanbeyan, while crews are keeping an eye on the swollen Murrumbidgee River at Cootamundra in the Riverina, an SES spokesman says. Sydney's Warragamba Dam is also on the verge of overflowing for the first time in more than a decade. Sydney Catchment Authority acting chief executive Sarah Dinning says preparations are being made to release excess water, with floodgates to be tested tomorrow morning. "Due to the variable weather conditions, we have staff available around the clock and the test will occur as soon as the dam reaches one metre below full storage," she said. "Once Warragamba Dam is 80mm above its full storage level the drum gate opens automatically." Heavy falls are expected to continue until at least the weekend, throwing transport into chaos across NSW and stretching emergency crews. A number of highways have been cut off with previously drought-stricken areas swamped with rain. The Illawarra Highway south of Sydney was closed today while the Barrier Highway in the state's far west was also cut off, stranding travellers between Broken Hill and the South Australian border as the mining town received its heaviest downpour in 12 years. Longer standing rain records were also broken, with Coolamon in the Riverina bucketed with 123mm in 24 hours, marking the wettest day since 1925. Nearby Grong Grong recorded 111mm, the wettest day since 1928. SES crews remain on standby to evacuate residents at Cooma if flash flooding occurs. - Herald Sun.

WATCH: Australian weather update.

WATCH: Stormy summer - Cooma residents have been told to prepare to evacuate and Goulburn is expecting flash flooding, while the Warragamba dam water level is expected to rise to breaking point.

Former astronaut Edgar Mitchell is convinced extraterrestrials have been observing our planet for some time. "They are still here", he says.

Mitchell states that one of the reason for the UFO cover-up has been fear. He says that it is time this ongoing denial and cover-up ends. In the following interview with WPTV, he reveals his thoughts on the subject and explains that there could be billions of extraterrestrial civilizations in the galaxy.

He says, “I don’t know how many or where or how they’re doing it but they been observing us here for quite some time and we see these craft all the time. I believe what I’m saying and I cite the evidence that I know. “ According to WPTV reporter Tim Malloy, “Mitchell is unbothered by critics who think the guy with the right stuff has taken a wrong turn. He has no doubt that there are alien craft observing Earth right now and many more out there looking for us.”

Malloy asked Mitchell, “How many civilizations do you believe are out there?” Mitchell answered, “Billions. There are billions and billions of stars in the galaxy, and billions and billions of galaxies doesn’t take but a few planets around a few stars to have quite a few civilizations.” Dr. Mitchell is one of only 12 people who have walked on the moon. He said he has never personally seen an alien but believes people who have.

Natural calamities are taking a toll on provinces in western China. In the north, people suffer from severe snowstorms, while southwestern areas are coping with prolonged drought.

Cold weather continues to plague the northwestern Xinjiang region of China. Over $900,000 of damage was reported, according to state media. Barns, houses, and livestock have all fell victim to the freezing temperatures. Meanwhile in the southwestern Yunnan province, some villagers haven’t seen rain since last November. Over six million people are affected by the drought.

[Li Yingqi, Yanjiao, Yunnan Province Resident]: "It's very difficult for our village. If the drought goes on for another two days, we'll have to fetch water from three kilometers (1.86 miles) away and carry it back on our cattle. There's nothing we can do. We don't have a pump to transport water." State media announced on Wednesday that $19 million has been set aside to assist the areas worst hit by the drought. - NTD.

Ireland has shocked Europe with plans for a referendum on the EU's fiscal treaty, a move that risks an unprecedented fragmentation of the eurozone and a major clash with Germany.

Premier Enda Kenny said Dublin was acting on legal advice from Ireland's attorney-general that "on balance" the fiscal compact requires a vote under the country's constitution. "It gives the Irish people the opportunity to reaffirm Ireland's commitment to membership of the euro," he told ashen-faced members of the Dail. All three major parties back the treaty but analysts say there is a high risk of rejection by angry voters in the current fractious mood. The compact gives the EU intrusive powers to police the budgets of debtor states, and has been denounced as feudal bondage by Sinn Fein and Ireland's vociferous eurosceptics. The Irish voted "No" to both the Nice and Lisbon treaties before being made to vote again. Dublin has ruled out a second vote this time. The Taoiseach's announcement sent the euro into sharp dive against the dollar, though it rebounded later. Europe's leaders thought they had tweaked the wording of the text just enough to avoid an Irish vote. Ireland cannot stop the process since a quorum of 12 states brings the treaty into force, but it would be politically untenable to create a new eurozone structure that left one member in limbo. German Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted with fury last November when Greece, which on Tuesday night approved €3.2bn of new budget cuts, unexpectedly called a referendum on the terms of its bail-out. Ireland's move may also rankle, even if deemed less capricious.

The fiscal compact has totemic significance in Berlin and any sign that the package is fraying may harden opposition in the Bundestag to further EMU rescue measures. Mrs Merkel suffered a serious blow on Monday when she had to rely on opposition votes to pass the Greek loan package due to mounting defections in her own ranks. Her coalition base is in revolt over demands from Brussels and the International Monetary Fund for a boost in the EU rescue machinery (ESM) to €750bn (£635bn), the unspoken condition imposed by the rest of the world for unlocking global aid. Any decision has been postponed until after this week's EU summit. The new requests would push the German share of the funding to well over €300bn, breaching a €211bn ceiling set by the Bundestag in September. Ireland will continue to receive loans under its €67bn package from the EU-ECB-IMF "Troika" even if it votes "No" but would be in serious trouble if it needed a second package later. The fiscal compact forbids to use of the ESM bail-out fund for non-signatories. While Ireland's vibrant exports have helped pull the economy out of a death spiral, austerity is still biting deeper. Dublin house prices fell another 4pc in January from a month earlier and are down 57pc from the peak. The money supply is imploding, with real M1 deposits falling at a 9.2pc rate over the past six months. There was further bad news in Spain, where it emerged that relapse into recession and ballooning deficits in the regions had pushed the budget deficit to 8.5pc for last year, far above the 6pc target. The new government of Mariano Rajoy has concluded that it would be "suicidal" to try to slash the deficit to 4.4pc this year to meet EU demands, fearing that it would drive unemployment to 6m, or more than 25pc. Budget minister Cristobal Montoro warned that it would require €43bn of fiscal cuts to comply, but his request for easier terms met a stony response from Brussels. Portugal won Troika approval for the next tranche of money under its €78bn loan package, despite the risk of slippage as recession deepens. "We will not ask for more time or money. There will be no such signal coming from this government," said finance minister Vitor Gaspar. Mr Gaspar defended his orthodox policies from a chorus of critics who say that draconian fiscal cuts will push the economy into a tailspin and prove self-defeating. "Austerity is needed to prevent an even more savage and uncontrollable austerity," he said. The ECB temporarily suspended Greek debt as collateral for bank refinancing, after S&P declared Greece to be in selective default. - Telegraph.

This photograph - showing a gold object of some kind above Baildon Moor - was sent in to the Telegraph & Argus today.

To some, it might appear it is a frisbee or some such object, but
James Hobbs, who took the picture, is convinced it was flying saucer. Mr Hobbs, who works in Shipley and whose office overlooks the moor, said he heard a "loud vibrating noise" while walking there at about 7am today.

Although the picture could be a frisbee or He said: "It was getting
louder and also seemed to be getting closer, I turned around and saw a
large gold object in the sky which was some kind of
spaceship? I was able to get my mobile phone out of my pocket and take
a picture."
In his e-mail to the T&A, Mr Hobbs, who lives in Methley, near
Castleford, added: "I am still in a state of shock by the whole
experience." - Telegraph & Argus.